Enzyme composition for improving food digestion

Abstract

An orally administered composition for improving food absorption and digestion contains therapeutically effective dosages of digestive enzymes and L-glutamine as active ingredients. The digestive enzymes include at least one each of a lipase, a protease, and an amylase, and at least a portion of each of these enzymes is enteric coated.

1 . An orally administered composition for improving the absorption and digestion of food, said composition comprising therapeutically effective dosages of digestive enzymes and L-glutamine as active ingredients;
 wherein said digestive enzymes include at least one each of a lipase, a protease, and an amylase, and at least a portion of each of said lipase, protease, and amylase is enteric coated.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said composition improves the digestion of food in the stomach and in the small intestine. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  further comprising a therapeutical dosage of an oligosaccharide as an active ingredient. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said protease includes bromelain, papain, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1  further comprising digestive enzymes selected from the group consisting of: β-glucanase, cellulase, glucoamylase, hemicellulase, invertase, lactase, malt diastase, phytase, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1  comprising a solid form. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6  wherein said solid form comprises a powder, a tablet, a capsule, a caplet, a sachet, or an encapsulated liquid. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 7  wherein said solid form comprises a capsule. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1  further comprising at least one excipient as an inactive ingredient. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein said excipient is selected from the group consisting of a filler, a flow agent, a colorant, a flavoring, a dissolving agent, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein said excipient comprises up to about 95 weight percent of said composition. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein said excipient is selected from among rice maltodextrin, magnesium stearate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1  comprising a capsule containing: 
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                 
                     
                   Classi- 
                     
                     
                 
                   Enzyme 
                   fication 
                   Origin 
                   Activity (Units*) 
                 
                     
                 
                     
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                   Protease 6.0 
                   Protease 
                     Aspergillus  spp. 
                   9,500 
                   FCC HUT 
                 
                   Protease 4.5 
                   Protease 
                     Aspergillus  spp. 
                   18,000 
                   FCC HUT 
                 
                   Protease 3.0 
                   Protease 
                     Aspergillus  spp. 
                   92.4 
                   FCC SAPU 
                 
                   Amylase 
                   Amylase 
                     Aspergillus  spp. 
                   3,000 
                   FCC DU 
                 
                   Glucoamylase 
                   Amylase 
                     Aspergillus  spp. 
                   4.5 
                   FCC AGU 
                 
                   Hemicellulase 
                   Other 
                     Aspergillus  spp 
                   320 
                   FCC HCU 
                 
                   β-glucanase 
                   Other 
                     Aspergillus  spp 
                   5 
                   FCC BGU 
                 
                   Phytase 
                   Other 
                     Aspergillus  spp 
                   21 
                   FCC FTU 
                 
                   Lipase 
                   Lipase 
                     Rhizopus  spp. 
                   80 
                   FCC LU 
                 
                   Cellulase 
                   Other 
                     Aspergillus  spp 
                   90 
                   FCC CU 
                 
                   Lactase 
                   Other 
                     Aspergillus  spp 
                   100 
                   FCC ALU 
                 
                   Invertase 
                   Other 
                   
                     Saccharomyces 
                   
                   110 
                   FCC SU 
                 
                   Malt Diastase 
                   Amylase 
                   
                     Hordeum vulgare 
                   
                   225,000 
                   FCC DP 
                 
                   Bromelain 
                   Protease 
                   
                     Ananas comosus 
                   
                   250,000 
                   FCC PU 
                 
                   Papain 
                   Protease 
                   
                     Carica papaya 
                   
                   225,000 
                   FCC PU 
                 
                   Protease 7.0 
                   Protease 
                     Bacillus  spp. 
                   896 
                   FCC PC 
                 
                   (Enteric) 
                 
                   Lipase (Enteric) 
                   Lipase 
                     Rhizopus  spp 
                   64 
                   FCC LU 
                 
                   Amylase 6.6 
                   Amylase 
                     Bacillus  spp. 
                   160 
                   FCC BAU 
                 
                   (Enteric) 
                 
                     
                 
             
                
                
                
                
               
               
                
               
            
             
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13  wherein said capsule further contains a fructooligosaccharide (FOS). 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said therapeutically effective dosage of glutamine comprises about 50 mg to about 500 mg. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 15  wherein said therapeutically effective dosage of glutamine comprises about 100 mg to about 200 mg. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of each of said lipase, protease, and amylase is enteric coated using a formulation comprising hydroxypropyl phthalate and methylcellulose.